More work or More Water ? Mixing mortar is something that every do-it-yourselfer does at some point — and very few get right the first time. I hear lots of complaints that the bag doesn’t have instructions on how much water to use; the result is usually sloppy, wet, guesswork. There’s a good reason why… Read More

We get asked this question all the time. Bricks have core holes or recesses (called “frogs”) for several reasons. The most important is a principle called “keying in.” When bricks are laid in a bed of mortar, the mortar squeezes into the holes which, when dried, locks the bricks into place. When the entire wall… Read More

39,227 people have read this article NEW! Check out my video or read the article below! There are only two kinds of cement used in masonry, Lime and Portland. Cement is like flour, the essential ingredient in baking that can be used to make bread, muffins, etc. Similarly, cement is the essential ingredient… Read More

9,324 people have read this article A foundation is a structure that creates a strong, level base on which to build. It’s critically important that the foundation is properly built and levelled or there will be serious… Read More

The main causes of damage to your masonry are water and salt. Usually they combine to form a lethal combination. Bricks are not designed to be at grade level due to their porosity. Water will penetrate the bricks and then freeze and thaw over and over, critically damaging the bricks. When bricks are baked, they… Read More

We can easily match all common brick types. But the process is not always straightforward. Occasionally bricks on old homes, and sometimes on brand new ones, are unavailable in small quantities or even not available at all. In these cases, we have to look for the best possible match. Here’s how we prioritize our search:… Read More

4,194 people have read this article One of the keys to preserving masonry is to recognize problems when they occur, and to make the necessary repairs before the problem gets wore. Most masonry products are built the same way. Masonry “units” – which can be bricks, concrete blocks or stones – are laid on beds… Read More